


Life Doesn't Discriminate

by cutielemon07



Series: Seasons of Hamilsquad [10]
Category: Hamilton - Miranda, Hamilton - Miranda (Broadway Cast) RPF
Genre: Ableism, Babies, Bisexual Alexander Hamilton, Canon Disabled Character, College AU, Disabled Character, Disabled Character of Color, Modern AU, Multi, Nonbinary Character, Nonbinary Marquis de Lafayette, Paralysis, Polyamory, Pregnancy, Teen Pregnancy, Undiagnosed Autism, Unplanned Pregnancy, Wedding Planning, Wheelchairs, all the schuylers, he's like that forever now, hey guys, ive had personal problems, no there will not be a magic cure, pregnant students, sort of, this is where it starts now, yes alex is still paralysed
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-04
Updated: 2017-07-20
Packaged: 2018-11-08 21:26:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11090247
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cutielemon07/pseuds/cutielemon07
Summary: Peggy hasn't been seen in months but suddenly and rather unexpectedly goes into early labor. How does this affect Peggy's friends and Peggy herself, particularly as Theo remains pregnant? What about Hercules and Sally's wedding? And is Lin-Manuel Miranda as happy as he makes himself out to be?





	1. Prologue

Eliza made her way over to her sister's dorm, having moved in with John and Alex. It was May now, the weather was great-ish. At least it was getting warmer, which was why Eliza was no longer decked out in winter gear. She was wearing lighter clothes. And she loved it. 

Angelica was actually sitting outside with Maria and they were simply talking. 

"Hey, guys." Eliza greeted. 

"Hey, Eliza." Maria greeted.

"Eliza!" Angelica greeted happily. "Hey, have you seen Peggy?"

"Not since she had her twenty week scan." Eliza shrugged. 

"I know, that was ages ago though." Angelica said. "And, it's been Ned and Dolley's birthdays and you've had your cast off since then." She pointed out. 

"And before Good Friday, it was Jefferson's birthday." Eliza said. "Remember that? Alex didn't go." 

"He and Jefferson are mortal enemies." Maria said. "That was a long time ago. It's June."

"True. But Jefferson's not as bad as Alex says he is." Angelica said. "Jefferson... Well, he's just a bit Sheldon-y." 

"I don't like him either." Eliza said as she took a seat next to Angelica. "I think he's shifty. I don't know why you wanted to move in with a gay couple, Maria." 

"They're not a couple any more." Maria said, still looking up at the clouds. "James is still cold to Jefferson, but he finds it-and I quote-preferable to being homeless." 

"His birthday party was weird." Eliza hugged her knees to her chest. "There was so much animosity, even though Alex wasn't there." 

"Ned's was great though." Maria lay her head down. 

"We Hamilsquad sure know how to throw even the newest members a righteous party." Eliza said.

Angelica chuckled. " _You're_ calling us the Hamilsquad now?" 

"Let's face it, Angelica, we don't really function as a group when Alex isn't around. Remember when he went out of the country in February." 

"Oh. Oh yeah." Angelica nodded. "And when he was shot." 

"That was an accident." Maria said. 

"Well, yeah, sort of." Eliza shrugged. "I mean, it was his fault he didn't want to be a grown ass man and own up to his mistake that he couldn't tell bullets for blanks. But it was Eaker's bullet." 

"I heard he plead 'not guilty' in his first hearing." Angelica said. 

"Yeah. It's true. Alex was there and going Tasmanian Devil." Eliza said. "Do you know how hard it is to calm down an angry little paraplegic by the name of Alexander Hamilton?"

"You're the one who's dating him." Angelica said. "And he's dating John. And he's dating you. How does that even work?"

"Easy. I'm straight for Alex, Alex is straight for me, but he's gay for John and John is gay for Alex."

Almost at that moment, Angelica's phone buzzed. She picked it up and looked at it.

"Peggy's gone into labor."

* * *

"Aaron!" Theo called out, she stood up, her stomach now protruding-she looked pregnant. "Aaron! I need you!"

"Relax, Theo, I'm coming!" Aaron emerged from their bedroom. "What's up?"

"Peggy Schuyler, she's giving birth." Theo said.

"Oh my god, that's so early." Aaron bit his lip. "She isn't due until-"

"August." Theo finished. "Same as me." 

"And it's June." 

"Her kids are early." Theo said.

"Twins _do_ come early, generally speaking." Aaron said. 

"But Aaron-"

"Theo, you're being monitored as well as you could be." Aaron put his hand on Theo's shoulder. "You're doing great, despite your medical issues. You're going to be a great mother."

Theo put her hand on her belly. "I just don't want her coming early." 

"She's going to be fine." Aaron assured. Albeit not confidently. 

"She's going to be fine." Theo repeated, less confidently. 

"We should-" 

"Go and see Peggy." Theo nodded. "Yeah."

"When she's out of labor, at least." Aaron agreed.

* * *

Hercules rubbed his face and hair down with a towel and pulled a t-shirt on over his head. He picked his phone up off the bed, where Sally was reading a thick book about Benjamin Franklin that she probably borrowed from the library section.

"Your phone's been buzzing." She said. 

Hercules' eyes widened. "And I can see why." He handed Sally the phone, who took it. 

_**I-Am-Lafcelot:** Peggy's gone into early labor._

_**I-Am-Lafcelot:** We're at the hospital now._

_**I-Am-Lafcelot:** She's had a girl_

_**I-Am-Lafcelot:** Still in labor_

_**I-Am-Lafcelot:** Girl is still alive_

"Oh god." Sally tossed her thick Chernow book one side. "Why the hell didn't we-we're their roommates!"

"Well, they were staying with the Washingtons." Hercules said. "Ever since Peggy..." 

He trailed off. Nobody had really seen Peggy since she found out she was carrying a girl and a boy. If it wasn't for Lafayette, nobody would be getting updates about her. She'd closed herself off from everybody and moved into the Washingtons' New York home. Although their things were still at Hercules and Sally's apartment, they couldn't really be called Hercules and Sally's roommates any more. 

"We should go and make sure Laf's okay." Hercules said, after a brief pause.

* * *

James was walking the usual path from the student store up to his and Jefferson's place when he saw Dolley, looking flustered.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"Peggy, Peggy Schuyler-"

"I don't know any other Peggy." James said. He considered it to be a name a kindly old grandmother would have, rather than an eighteen year old. 

"-She's giving birth." Dolley finished. 

James stood there, looking at Dolley before shaking his head. "No." 

"Yes!" Dolley nodded fervently. "According to Lafayette, she's had one of her kids already. A girl. She and Lafayette have a daughter."

"Holy shit." 

"Lafayette hasn't said anything about the second baby. Or Peggy." Dolley said. "But there's still time. Sometimes twins come, like, twenty minutes apart or whatever. I don't know. I'm not a twin."

"Neither am I." James said. "I should probably let... Let Thomas and Maria know."

"I'm going down there!" Dolley exclaimed. "The hospital."

"Good luck with that." James turned away and bolted to his building, taking the steps up to the apartment, rather than the elevator. 

He pulled his key from his pocket and opened the door, with some struggle. Once he was in, he dumped the shopping on the floor and shouted out; "Peggy's having her babies!"

* * *

William Van Ness was sitting on a bench, people watching. He noticed someone familiar pass by and jumped to his feet. "Hey, Martha." He greeted. 

"Hello, future NSA employee." Martha said coolly. 

"Did you hear about Peggy Schuyler?" William asked carefully. 

"No, because nobody's seen her since April." 

"She's in labor." William said. "Had a little girl already."

"Really?" Martha raised an eyebrow. "How do I know you're not making it up?" 

"Have I _ever_ made _anything_ up, Martha?"

Martha thought for a few moments. "No. Not really." She said. "It just seems implausible." 

William snuck a look at his phone when Martha had briefly glanced away. "She's just had her little boy now." He said. 

"How the hell-"

"I have my ways, Martha Wayles." William said. "Go forth and spread the word! The omnipotent William Peter Van Ness says that Margarita Schuyler has successfully given birth to two babies!" He shouted. "But are they Lafayette's?" He added quietly."

Martha frowned as Nathaniel, who heard the shouting, rushed over. 

"Two things;" Nathaniel began, "number one, since when do you call yourself by your full name and number two, Peggy's had her kids already?"

William nodded. "Yes indeed." 

"But it's so... Early." Nathaniel protested. 

"Don't tell me! Tell that to her little sprogs!" William said.

"Sprog?" Both Martha and Nathaniel shared a glance of confusion. 

"Child." William said. "It's a Britishism."

Martha snickered. "Suddenly I have this image in my head of you watching Downton Abbey. And crying." 

"Remember, I know your secrets. I knew what the Cursed Child was about before it debuted!" William said.

"And you know what's going to happen in Game of Thrones." Nathaniel added mockingly.

"Shut up." William said indignantly.

* * *

"Guys!" John Jay shouted. He rushed into the classroom where he was holding a Black Lives Matter meeting. "Meeting canceled today." He panted. "John... Alex... Stay. Need to talk." 

Everyone piled out of the room except for Alex and John Laurens, who made their way to the front of the classroom. 

"What's up, John?" Laurens asked. 

"You need a minute or two to catch your breath?" Alex asked. 

Alex was sitting in a new wheelchair, this one seeming to fit him perfectly. The chair itself was black in color, down to the spokes, and missing several features of a medical wheelchair, such as the armrests, the handles, the shorter back and the footplates, which was now just one footplate. According to John and Eliza-and all his other friends-Alex agreeing to this type of chair, rather than keeping the old medical chair, meant that he was coming to terms with his disability, accepting it. Though seeing Lin in his chair that night of the Oscars probably helped, not that Alex would admit it. Seeing Lin so... _Unashamed_... Of his condition... So accepting of it and still happy-though Alex knew that wasn't _wholly_ the case.

"No." John Jay shook his head. "'M good." He nodded. "Peggy isn't."

"What happened to Peggy?" Alex leaned forward in his chair, as if he were dreading something.

"She's had her kids." John Jay said. "Both of 'em. All made it."

"That's... Good." Laurens said. "Peggy survived the birth. The babies are alive." 

"They're early." John Jay said, still panting for breath. "Might not."

Laurens looked over at Alex. "Should we...?" 

"We should!" Alex blurted out. 

The two of them hurried out of the classroom as fast as they could. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! I haven't abandoned this verse-I love living in it. I've just had a lot of personal issues these last few months and I've been in musicals-by the way, our production of In the Heights won an award! Yay!  
> Ned Stevens' birthday was in April, I made that up. His birthdate is unknown. But Thomas Jefferson's birthday was in April and Dolley Madison's birthday was in May. Historical facts.   
> Jefferson is Sheldon-y because it's thought that Jefferson had Asperger Syndrome-a form of autism that I believe I mentioned before that I'm writing him with.   
> Theo is six months pregnant. She is going to be big.  
> Ron Chernow didn't write about Benjamin Franklin-to my knowledge-but he did write about George Washington, a book I've read, so his book on Benjamin Franklin in this universe is the equivalent to that George Washington book in ours.  
> Peter was indeed William Van Ness' middle name. Historical fact.  
> And what does Alex know about Lin that we don't know? Feel free to guess, but it will all be revealed in time.


	2. Just Swim Down

Alex rushed over to his laptop in his apartment and came to a skidding halt. "So what happens now?" He asked John, who'd got in slightly before him.

"We wait, I guess." John said.

"I haven't seen my best friend in months and now she's had two babies." Alex said.

"It's her fault for shutting herself off, Alex." John put his phone on the coffee table and sat down. "It's nothing you've done."

"I know." Alex sighed. He parked his wheelchair next to the couch. "I just... I wish I could be there for her."

"I know you do." John looked around and bent down to pick up the remote control from the floor.

As he did so, Alex managed to transfer himself from his wheelchair to the couch. "I don't think I can watch the TV while knowing that Peggy's had her babies early."

"Until we get news, Alex." John corrected. He turned the TV on.

Alex shuffled closer to John, before lunging for the remote.

John held the remote high above Alex's head. "Not so paralysed _now_ , are you?"

"John. This is no time for fun and games." Alex said seriously.

John simply scrolled through the channels until he landed on The X-Files.

"I don't want to watch The X-Files, John. I want to go and be with Peggy."

"Come on." John pointed to the TV. "It's Mulder and Scully! You _like_ The X-Files."

"No." Alex said. He folded his arms. "Stupid David Duchovny is stupid and his character has a stupid name."

"Alex, we can't do anything." John said. "As I told my younger siblings-"

"If you can do something, do it, if you can't, don't worry about it." Alex recited from memory. "But this isn't just 'something'. John, it's Peggy Schuyler." Alex emphasised. "Our dear old friend Peggy. Not..." Alex clenched his hand into a fist and bit his tongue before he opened his hand and gestured towards the TV, still biting his tongue.

"She's eighteen." John said. "Not old."

"You know what I'm saying." Alex said through gritted teeth.

John turned the TV volume down. "Look, Alex, she's probably only going to want Laf and her parents, maybe Angelica and Eliza there right now." He said softly. "As soon as we get the go ahead, we'll pile your Quickie into the car and leave as fast as we can without breaking any speeding laws."

Alex nodded. "Sounds right."

"Alright. Now watch The X-Files." John said.

"Can you do me a favor and leave?" Alex asked, causing John to look affronted. "Only I want to talk to Lin."

John sighed and put the remote down. "Don't know why you couldn't-"

"Do you know how arduous it is to transfer from my wheelchair to the couch and back again?" Alex asked. "I've been in a wheelchair for half a year, I haven't got a lot of skills yet-I can barely do a wheelie-"

"That's why you ask my help going over sidewalks." John said.

"Nothing wrong with asking for help." Alex said.

"No, there... Certainly isn't." John said. "It's just not like you-"

"Well my life has changed." Alex snapped. "I'm in a wheelchair now. And I will be until the day I die of probably paraplegia related illnesses next year. Unless Trump kills us all before then."

"Nice to see you joking."

"I wasn't." Alex said with a straight face.

"I'll just..." John thumbed towards the bedroom door. "Next time, stay in your chair."

"No." Alex said. He picked up his phone and typed in the password, before scrolling through his contacts to the one name he knew very well he could trust-Lin Miranda.

" _Alex_?" Lin asked on the third ring. " _What are you calling me for? I'm busy_."

"Doing what?" Alex asked.

" _Stuff and things_." Lin replied casually. " _I'm filming Mary Poppins_."

"Still?"

" _Alex, they had to delay production because of my... Condition._ " Lin sighed. " _I'm going to be stuck here another three months. I know it's hard without me, but you gotta grin and bear it, man. It's not like we can touch anyway_."

Alex shook his head. "So when the hell's the release date?"

" _Still Christmas of next year._ " Lin said. " _They only delayed by a few weeks._ "

"Yeah... Twelve of them."

" _True. Amazing since I was comatose and all, but I couldn't film until, March, so_ -"

"What are you going to do about DuckTales?" Alex asked. He'd been among the first to know about Lin's honor.

" _I've been recording my lines here in London._ " Lin said. " _Maybe I should just be a professional voice artist._ "

"Why?"

" _I can still sing, but I can't dance any more. I won't be able to._ " Lin sounded defeated.

"Who-who said that?" Alex asked.

" _My physical therapist_. _He didn't say it, but he implied it._ " Lin scoffed. " _You make your best recovery from a spinal injury in the first six months and_ -"

"It's only _been_ six months!" Alex cried. "And you _never_ even had a spinal injury- _I_ did!" He grunted. "Is _this_ what you've been so upset about?"

" _I-uh_..." Lin couldn't answer.

"Lin, I called _you_ because _I_ needed advice." Alex pulled at his hair in exasperation. His hair that he was growing out once again. "Peggy's-"

" _Missing and pregnant, I know-_ "

"Had her babies, Lin." Alex finished.

No response.

"Lin?"

" _Both of them? The-the twins?_ "

"Yeah." Alex said. "And she... I can't see her. John won't take me to the hospital. I don't know what to do."

Lin exhaled loudly. Alex could hear him talking to someone on the other end of the phone. Something crashed to the floor and someone else apologised. Lin's voice (' _No, no, it's okay. Don't worry, Emily_.'). Thud. Thud. Thud.

" _Alex_?"

"Still here, Lin. What was that?" Alex asked.

" _Oh, I was on my cane and one of my cast mates_ -"

"Emily Blunt." Alex guessed.

" _Bumped_ _into me and knocked my cane from my hand. It fell and so did I. I'm in my wheelchair now, don't worry._ " Lin added quickly.

"Are you okay?"

" _Course_." Lin said. " _Why wouldn't I be? It's lucky you called when we were on break._ "

"How late is it over there?" Alex asked, looking at his watch. It was mid-afternoon.

" _Uh... We're doing some nighttime filming._ " Lin said. " _My character's a streetlamp lighter_."

"Oh. I forgot." Alex said. "So you're in costume and everything?"

" _Yeah_." Lin said. " _I mean, I wish I had more mobility than I've got. It **wasn't** a problem before. It wasn't going to **be** a problem. Then..._ " He trailed off. " _How're **you** doing?_ "

"I need to see Peggy."

" _Then go_."

"I can't drive. They wouldn't let a cripple-"

" _Don't you **dare** think that about yourself!_ " Lin barked down the phone. " _You're worth **more** than that, d'you hear me?!_ "

"You're the one who was complaining-"

" _ **I** was the idiot who chose a career on Broadway! You've got your whole life ahead of you, Alex. Your whole life to choose a more... Wheelchair friendly job. Don't do what I did._ "

"You can still write musicals."

" _I know_." Lin said. " _And I'm writing some._ "

"Some?" Alex blinked in confusion. Some.

" _You'll see, Alex. You'll see_." Lin still sounded defeated. " _Too many people are 'calling me out' for being 'fake disabled'._ "

"But you're _really_ disabled." Alex said. "You were in a coma."

" _Idiots see what they want to see. They see me standing from my chair, they think I can sprint the New York Marathon_." Lin chuckled weakly. " _It's getting me down_." He grunted. " _Sorry, Alex, I'm not helping much_."

"Well... It's taking my mind off Peggy for a bit." Alex said honestly.

" _Alex, learn to drive_."

"But I'm paralysed."

" _That shouldn't stop you getting an adapted car._ "

John burst from the bedroom "Alex! We gotta go! Peggy wants to see us!"

"Lin, I'm sorry, I have to go!" Alex said urgently. "Good luck with Mary Poppins!" He put the phone down and shoved it in his front pocket.

John began to push Alex's chair out of the apartment.

"Hey! Not without me in it!" Alex protested.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Still here!  
> John put on The X-Files because that was the show that first came on when I turned my TV on.  
> Quickie is the brand of wheelchair Alex uses.  
> Historical Alexander Hamilton didn't like asking for help much. Neither did Alex before he became paralysed or even after. There's just some things that he can't do and there's no shame in not being able to do it.  
> In this world, Lin's still filming Mary Poppins for obvious and stated reasons.  
> He's also a bit down about not having the same degree of mobility as he used to. Especially when people are literally dancing right under his nose.  
> But he's still building Alex's confidence up.  
> And he's right about ableist perceptions of disability. Some people see wheelchair users and assume they can't walk, then they see them standing for whatever reason and harass them as fakers. That's what Lin of this universe is going through. And rather publicly.  
> Both Lin's and Alex's arcs in this story tackle ableism-Lin's will tackle ableism from others while Alex's will tackle internalised ableism.  
> Ableism is something that affects my day to day life, so I feel the innate need to call it out somehow.  
> Yes, this story will be a lot more serious than the other stories in the series. Expect some humor, but it will be rather low on it. I hope to god I get this right.


	3. chapter 3

Alex rushed down the ward, followed by John running behind. It had been six months since Alex had been in this very same hospital, but to Alex, it felt like just yesterday. He stopped outside Peggy's room and knocked. He didn't wait for an answer though, he just burst in.

"Peggy!"

Peggy looked up from her bed. "Alex."

"You look good, considering." Alex moved closer. "How are you feeling?"

"My babies, Alex, they're so tiny." Peggy said. "I'm a-a mom."

"You'll make a great mom." Alex assured. "And we'll always be around to help." 

"Hey there, John." Peggy greeted John, who was standing in the doorway.

"Hey, Peggy." John walked in.

"This is it, isn't it?" Peggy asked. "I've screwed my life up."

"No, your life is fine." Alex said. "My life is screwed up. I've got a terminal disease-"

"Neurofibromatosis is not terminal _or_ a disease." John said boredly. "It's a genetic condition."

"That'll kill me one day."

"Not necessarily now stop pitying yourself. This isn't about _you_ , it's about _Peggy_."

"And I'm paralyzed from the waist down-"

"Again, that doesn't mean your life is ruined."

Peggy looked over at Alex, who was by her side. "You've got a new wheelchair."

"Your dad did." Alex said.

"I still think I'd rather be you than me." Peggy slumped back onto the pillows.

The door to her room opened again and James Madison walked in carrying a bouquet of flowers. He was followed by an awkward looking Thomas Jefferson who had his hands in his pockets. 

"Hey, Peggy." James greeted. "I got you some flowers." 

Peggy raised an eyebrow. "So I see."

Jefferson mumbled "congratulations" and went to go and stand in the corner, not making eye contact with anyone. 

"Guy's weird." Alex said. "Just ignore him."

"Have you named them yet?" James asked. 

"No." Peggy said emotionlessly. "Laf's with them now. In the NICU."

"They just left you?" John asked. 

"I wanted them to." Peggy replied. "I couldn't stand-Alex, you know."

"I know." Alex nodded. "Don't you think it's about time you told them?"

"I can't now." Peggy said. "The babies..."

"Tell Lafayette what?" John asked.

"It's nothing, John." Alex shook his head. "Nothing important."

"The babies might not be Laf's." Peggy said. "I had sex with my cousin and then sex with Laf on the same night and I got pregnant."

"What the hell?" John frowned deeply. "That shit's the most disturbing thing I've ever heard. You gotta tell them."

"I wanna run a DNA test."

"So do it. You don't have to go on Jerry Springer." Alex said.

"I can't get close enough to the babies. I haven't seen them since the birth. I don't want to either."

"You're their mom. You shouldn't reject them-"

"I'm _not_ rejecting them."

"Then name them." James shrugged.

"No."

"You know, Peggy," John began, "The X-Files is on-"

"I'm not naming them Dana and Fox. That's only going to set them up for lifelong teasing."

"Well, the boy." Alex muttered.

"No."

"You could always name him John." John suggested.

"When you have your own kid, you can name him John."

"I almost had a kid, but Martha Manning had an abortion." John shrugged. 

"That's not what I heard from William." James whispered in John's ear.

John stiffened. "So in... In non baby news, my article and accompanying diagrams on soft shell turtles made it into a scientific journal."

"Which one?" Peggy asked, showing her first hint of emotion since Alex arrived.

"Nature." John said.

"Oh wow. That's... That's a big honour, John. It's so prestigious. How in the hell did you do it?"

"I study turtles. They're my favourite animal." John said.

"That's great. I'll look out for it." Peggy said. "What's your paper called?"

"Where We're Going, We Don't Need Roads: A Study of the Aquatic and Land Based Needs of the Softshell Turtle." John recited. 

"Is that a Back to the Future reference?" James asked.

"Yes it is." John said proudly.

* * *

The next day, Alex awoke to a text from Lin;

**A.Ham, I'm gonna be presenting in the Tonys in NYC this weekend. Going back to London on Wednesday. If you want to meet on Tuesday before I go back, let me know.**

John sat up in bed. "What's happened?"

"Britain's having their election today." Alex said, still considering Lin's offer. 

"That's happen _ing_." John said. "What's happen _ed_?"

"Nothing." Alex put his phone down and pulled himself up on the pillows. 

John reached over for Alex's phone and picked it up. "Lin... Lin-Manuel Miranda." He blinked emotionlessly. "What is this?" He asked. "Are you... Texting buddies with Lin-Manuel Miranda?!"

"I'm not _texting_ buddies with him, John, I'm _buddies_ with him." Alex said. "You know I Skype him."

"Skype isn't texting." John tossed Alex's phone to him. 

"Look, _he's_ the only one who knows what _I'm_ going through. And _I'm_ the only one who knows what _he's_ going through."

"Jesus Christ, Alexander Hamilton." John slid out of bed. He was naked. Completely naked. 

"Are you jealous, John?" Alex asked with a smirk on his face.

"No." John snorted. 

"You know Lin's more like my brother, right? We don't share a hundred percent of our DNA. We share enough that it disturbs when we touch-"

"Like Cable and X-Man." John said.

"Been reading the X-Men again, John?" Alex asked. He gently lowered himself into his wheelchair from his bed-also stark naked. 

"What's it to you if I like the X-Men?" John shrugged. 

"Anyway, Lin and I can't touch because our DNA is so close, but it's different enough that we can't be considered clones, although I _am_ his clone." 

"I'll bet it was Mister Sinister who-"

"John!" Alex barked. 

"Okay. Okay." John walked into the bathroom.

Alex wheeled himself over to his clothes drawers. 

"By the way, Alex," John called out. "That was some great sex last night."

"I didn't need to hear that!" Ned shouted from the front room. "Any of it!"

Alex smiled and bit his lip, desperately trying to stop himself from laughing. 

In the bathroom, John was doing the same thing.

* * *

Later on, the three of them sat down for breakfast, Alex, John and Ned. There was an awkward silence between Ned and everyone else, but John and Alex were talking with each other freely about Alex's plans to meet his friend Lin.

"I know, it's going to be good." Alex said. "I should probably call him back or something."

"His wife gonna be there?" John asked.

"Probably not. She's got other things to do." Alex shrugged. "But I don't know. I'll ask."

"What about his sister?" 

"Luz lives here. I can see her any time I don't want." Alex said casually. He had only met her the once.

"You gonna see Hercules later?"

"Yeah, he said that he and Sally have something important to tell me, so I pretty much have to go" 

"Wedding related?" John asked with a mouthful of toast.

"Probably, yeah." Alex nodded.

John violently swallowed the toast. "I'm an usher." 

"Yeah, Laf's a groomsperson too." Alex said. "Who else is involved?"

"Eliza, Angelica, Peggy, Maria and Theo are bridesmaids." John said. 

"Groomspeople, I mean." Alex clarified. 

"Oh, yeah, I'm an usher, so is Aaron." John said. "James is a groomsperson, Laf is and so is Martha."

Alex raised an eyebrow. "Wayles?" 

John nodded. "Yeah." 

"What about Hugh?" 

"Not going."

"Who's Hugh?" Ned asked.

"Herc's brother." Alex replied as he buttered his toast.

"Basically all us friends are in the wedding party except Dolley and you, Ned." John said. 

"Is that what Herc wants to see me about? Because it's the last rehearsal for Pirates of Penzance before we go into the production period." Alex said. He bit into the toast and narrows his eyes slightly as he chewed.

"Rumor has it that Herc's looking for a best man." John said with a slight smirk.

"I can't be the best man!" Alex blurted out. "Best men can't be in wheelchairs!"

"Where's the rule about that, Alex?" John said. "Where's the rule?"

Alex blinked. "I-I just assumed..."

"I'm going to see Peggy and Laf later." John said.

"Send them my love." Alex put the rest of the toast in his mouth and moved from the table carefully.

"Yeah, I will do-where are you off to?" John asked.

Alex took the toast from his mouth. "I'm the Major General." Â He said. "The disabled Major General." He took another bite of the toast.

John smiled to himself as he watched Alex eat his breakfast and grab all his things together as he wheeled himself around the apartment with ease. It had been four months now and Alex was here more than anywhere else. But with three grown men and one in a wheelchair, John also knew they had to look for a bigger apartment because Ned was constantly having to sleep on the couch and hear them have sex. Maybe an apartment that allowed pets. He knew Alex would love a new dog after what happened to Philip. It had been a year, after all, it wasn't like they were going to replace the little dog. 

"I'll see you later, John." Alex said. He was in the doorway about to shut the door. 

"Yeah, see you later, Alex." John said. 

"Bye, Ned." Alex shut the door behind him.

Ned turned to John. "I don't want to have to hear that ever again."

"What?" John asked innocently.

"You know." Ned said. "The 'ooh John, touch me! No not there, my nips' and 'oh my god Alex, your legs don't work, but your dick sure does!' And the screaming 'oh god! Oh god!' From both of you."

"You know-"

"That Alex has sensitive nipples, yes, I do." Ned groaned. "I'd like to not know that fact from my old best friend, but alas, I do. Please stop before I learn something else I don't want to." 

"You haven't heard Alex and Eliza go at it-'

"And I don't want to." Ned said loudly over John.

"Okay." John nodded. "Okay, I get it. I'll look for uh, a new apartment. A bigger one. Today."

"Thank you." Ned left the table quickly and left John sitting alone. 

* * *

Alex knocked on Hercules' door. He figured he'd stop off there before he went to rehearsal.

Hercules answered. "Alex!"

"You wanted to see me?" Alex asked. 

"Yeah, yeah, come in, man." Hercules opened the door to allow Alex in. 

Alex entered and looked around. "Sally not here?" 

"Coding exam." Hercules said casually. "And it's a good thing too. You have impeccable timing."

"When do I not?" Alex asked. "Okay. So why do you wanna see me?"

"You know how Sally and I are getting married, right?" Hercules asked.

"Yes."

"Well... How would you like to be involved?"

"You want me to be your best man, don't you?"

"I-uh-I-what? How did you-?" Hercules spluttered. 

"Know?" Alex asked. "John told me."

"Well, would you?" Hercules asked. "Like to be my best man?"

Alex paused. "Yes. It'd be my honor." 

What had Alex got himself into?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! I'm back! Updates will be a bit slow from now on. But they will happen. I promise!


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